Box-opening tool



(No Model.)

B. W. & GNE. BULLARD. BOX OPENING TOOL No. 416,208. Patented Dec}. 3,1889.

I N/E'NTLVRS.

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EZEKIEL BULLARD, OF BARRE, AND CHARLES E. BULLARI), OF VORCESTER,MASSACHUSETTS.

BOX-OPENING TOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,208, dated December3, 1889*. Application filed January 24, 1889. Serial No. 297,386. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EZEKIEL \V. BUL- LARD and CHARLES E. BULLARD, bothcitizens of the United States, the former 'residing at Barre and thelatter residing at \Vorcester, in the county of Vorcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBox-0pening Tools, of which the following, together with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification sufficiently full, clear, andexact to enable persons skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains to make and use the same.

The object of our present invention is to provide a convenient andefficient tool for the purposes specified, wherein the wedgeshapedentering-head or ripping-claw is connected with the handle-bar by anoffsetting neck, which serves as a fulcrum bearing upon the edge of thebox and greatly facilitates the operation of ripping up the boards;also, to provide a box-opening tool having a ripping-claw, an offsettingneck, and a hammer-face arranged as hereinafter explained.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top view of our improved tool. Fig. 2 isa side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating themanner of its use, and Fig. 4: shows a modification wherein therippingclaw is made to stand at an angle in relation to the plane of thehandle-bar and offsetting neck to permit of the tool being used againsta flat surface.

In referring to parts, Adenotes the handlebar, and B the head orripping-claw, which is made with a wedge-shaped outer end b, hav ing anail-drawing slit (1, and is connected with the handle-bar by anoffsetting neck C, at right angle, or substantially so, to the handleand claw, which latter stand in the same direction, but out of line witheach other, the offset of the neck O being slightly more than thethickness of ordinary boards, or, say, about one inch, more or less.

The inner end f of the claw-head B is fitted to receive the blows of ahammer or maul for driving the wedgeshaped point Z) into the crevicebetween the boards.

The end of the handle-bar is best provided with a handle A as shown, butmay in any instance be made plain, if desired.

On the side of the bar A, opposite the offsetting neck, there isprovided a hammerface E, which permits of the tool being used fordriving nails or for knocking nails from the box-covers.

In the operation of the tool the wedge shaped end I) is driven into thecrevice by striking on the head at f. Then when the box-cover I isstarted the tool is used as a lever, the offsetting neck resting on theedge of the box, as shown in Fig. 3, and serving as a fulcrum. Thus theleverage is thereby balanced, so that the lifting force is moreadvantageously exerted, the power being applied more directly upward,while there is less tendency for the tool to roll over sidewise than isthe case with the ordinary straight form of tool. Consequently the workof ripping open packing-cases, &c., can be performed with greaterfacility and dispatch, while there is less liability of injuring thecovers and edges of the cases if it is desired to preserve them forrepacking of goods.

In some cases the hammer-face may be omitted, if desired.

IV hen the tool is designed for ripping carpentry-worksuch as door andwindow casings, and for similar purpose-the tool can be made with itshead B standing somewhat at an oblique angle to the plane of thehandle-bar A, as illustrated in Fig. 4, to allow of the tool beingworked against a wall or flat surface in substantially the same planewith the crevice into which the claw is to be driven.

We claim as our invention, to be secured by Letters Patent- 1. Abox-opening tool composed of a lever or handle-bar A and a claw-head B,having a wedge-shaped end I) projecting in the direction of the handle,but at offset position, and integrally joined thereto at its side by alateral neck C, arranged at right angles in rela tion to the head andbar, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A box-opener or ripping-tool having its handlebar A and head Blaterally offset from each other and integrally connected by atransverse neck 7, said head being formed with a wedge-shaped end at Z),and a nail-slit side of the bar, the hammer-face E, all subd, and astriker-seat at f, substantially as stantially as shown and described.shown and described. Witness our hands this 22d day of J an uary,

3. The within-described box-openingtool, A. D. 1889. 5 consisting of thelever 01' handle-bar A, having the head B fitted with the bifurcated lYfg b Wedge-shaped end at b, and the striker-seat v J J at f, integrallyconnected to the bar by the Vitnesses: transversely offsetting neck 0,and having in CHAS. H. BURLEIGH, IO continuation of said neck, at theopposite ELLA- P. BLENUS.

